Brazilian UFC star Michel Pereira has admitted he is no fan of Shara Magomedov as the pair prepare to meet in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night Baku, İdman.Biz reports.
Speaking at Wednesday's pre-fight press conference, Pereira said fans can expect a tough and competitive contest when the two middleweights step into the cage on 27 June at the National Gymnastics Arena.
"It will be an interesting fight. A difficult battle awaits us. I have to beat my opponent. We are preparing for this fight and we have to be strong," Pereira said.
The Brazilian then revealed that his dislike for Magomedov stems from comments made by the Russian fighter following recent flooding in Brazil.
"To be honest, I don't like Shara Magomedov and I wouldn't want to be friends with him. I don't follow him on social media and I'm not interested in what he posts. Recently there were floods and I helped people affected by them. He claimed that I was only doing it for attention," Pereira explained.
The 31-year-old insisted that those who follow his career already know the type of person he is outside the cage.
"Fans know a lot about me. I share things on social media. My life is like an open book," he added.
The bout between Pereira and Magomedov is expected to be one of the highlights of UFC Fight Night Baku, which will be the second UFC event staged in Azerbaijan. The card is headlined by a lightweight showdown between Azerbaijani favourite Rafael Fiziev and Mexico's Manuel Torres, while the Pereira-Magomedov contest serves as the co-main event.
With both fighters known for their aggressive styles and outspoken personalities, their clash has become one of the most talked-about match-ups of the week.
